Apparatus for the distillation of coal and similar carbonaceous substances



p 1935- c. H. PARKER ET AL APPARATUS FOR THE DISTILLATION OF COAL AND SIMILAR CARBONACEOUS SUBSTANCES Filed Feb. 17, 1932 Inventors 6% 1/ PM; by

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Patented Sept. 17, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR THE DISTILLATION OF COAL AND SIMILAR CARBONACEOUS SUB- STANCE S London, England Application February 17, 1932, Serial No. 593,572 In Great Britain April 20, 1931 4 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for the distillation of coal and similar carbonaceous substances and especially to apparatus of the kind in which the distillation is carried out in two stages, the distillation proceeding in the first stage as the result of heat being applied to the upper retort or by internal application of heat therein through the medium of heated gas, and the second stage proceeding on the discharge into the lower retort of the charge from the upper retort, and under the heat acquired by the charge while in the upper retort.

In such apparatus it is known to provide means for withdrawing gases and vapours from the lower retort at the vicinity of the junction between the upper and lower retorts, and for delivering the gases and vapours thus withdrawn, with the gases and vapours withdrawn from the upper retort or from the upper end thereof.

The present invention has among its objects to avoid the condensation of the vapours in the.

offtake pipe from the lower retort and the removal of accumulations of carbonaceous matter therefrom.

According to the invention the gases and vapours from the lower retort are withdrawn through a passage or conduit provided in or beside the upper retort.

The invention comprises the features hereinafter described.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying diagrammatic drawing, in which Figure 1 is a vertical section of a retort provided according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional plan of the upper retort.

Figure 3 illustrates the use of a fitting for directing the vapours and gases from the lower retort or cooling chamber into the outlet of the top fitting of the upper retort.

Figures 4 and 5 are sectional plans of modified constructions of upper retorts illustrating the provision of a separate conduit for the vapours and gases from" the lower retort or cooling 5 chamber.

In carrying the invention into effect in its application to a retort of the kind described in the specification of the Patent No. 1,687,989, one of the compartments a in the upper retort a is 50 employed as the conduit for the gases and vapours from the lower retort or cooling chamber 1). Or a special compartment similar to the compartment a may be provided in the upper retort co-extensive with the length of the retort 55 and disposed in an angular position beside one of the end compartments for use as such a conduit. Or in the application of the invention to a retort of the kind described in the specification of the prior Patent No. 1,687,989, the end compartment at the side of the retort corre- 5' sponding to that at which the oiftake pipe may be provided is employed as the conduit for the gas and vapour from the lower retort.

The bottom door 0 by which the compartments in the upper retort a are closed is provided with 10 1 thus during the distillation of the charge in the 15 1 upper retort a the vapours and gases from the lower retort or cooling chamber b may discharge through the upper retort a. At the upper end of the offtake conduit a in the retort a a tubular fitting or plug d as illustrated in Figure 3 may be 20 i mounted adapted for ready removal, and having its upper part inclined outward and upward so that the vapours and gases may be directed outwardly and upwardly from the upper end of the conduit a to discharge into an upwardly inclined 25 outlet or ofitake e provided in the top fitting e of the retort, whereby the gases and vapours thus pass through the ofitake pipe 1 through which also pass the gases and vapours from the lower retort or cooling chamber b. When charg- 30 ing the upper retorts ct, the tubular fitting d need not be withdrawn. The conduit may instead be closed by means of a plug g (Figure 1) which is removed on the top cover plate 6 being closed.

Thus in a simple way an ofitake conduit a 35 for the gases and vapours from the lower retort or cooling chamber b is provided which by reason of the heat applied to the upper retort is not adapted for the condensation and accumulation of carbonaceous matter. 40 Instead of providing such a gas and vapour offtake conduit within the upper retort in casting it, the conduit may be provided as an additional pipe it (Figure 4) mounted beside the retort and extending within the retort setting. It will be understood that the invention is especially adapted to retorts made of cast-iron or other metal in which a number of chambers or compartments in close relation are provided in the same casting. These chambers o-r compartments may be provided of the same shape and relation as indicated in the specification of the prior patent referred to in which case the gas oirtake conduit may be provided in the angular space available at one of the respective ends of the casting, as

at 1' (Figure 5) or instead as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 each casting may be provided in known manner with two adjacent series of chambers or compartments of a circular section, the chambers or compartments of the respective series alternating in position. In such a case an end compartment may serve in the manner described as the gas and vapour ofitake conduit from the lower compartment. It will be understood that the lower compartment is advantageously not divided but is adapted to receive the charge from all the compartments of the upper retort or casting on the lowering of the bottom door of the upper retort.

We claim:--

1. In apparatus for the distillation of coal and similar carbonaceous substances, comprising an upper retort and a lower distillation and cooling chamber, a retort chamber within which the upper retort is disposed, means for heating the retort in the retort chamber, a door and seating for closing the lower end of the upper retort and for the discharge of the solid material in the upper retort into the lower chamber, a gas offtake for the upper retort disposed at the upper end thereof, a conduit connecting the door seating with the ofitake, said conduit being in association with the upper retort and within the retort chamber, the said conduit being in communication with the lower chamber whether the door is open or closed.

2. Apparatus for the distillation of coal and. similar carbonaceous substances, comprising a vertical retort, a hollow top fitting for said vertical retort provided with a gas and vapour ofitake, said top fitting communicating with the vertical retort at the upper end thereof, a lower distillation and cooling chamber below said vertical retort, a door and a seating therefor at the lower end of the said vertical retort, said door separating the vertical retort from the lower chamber, and a conduit in association with the retort and extending between the door seating and the top fitting and opening into the bottom of the latter and affording communication between the lower chamber and the top fitting and ofitake of the vertical retort whether the door is open or closed.

3. Apparatus for the distillation of coal and similar carbonaceous substances, comprising a vertical retort, a hollow top fitting for said vertical retort provided with a gas and vapour offtake,

said top fitting communicating with the vertical 5 retort at the upper end thereof a lower distillation and cooling chamber below said vertical retort, a door and a seating therefor at the lower end of the said vertical retort, said door separating the vertical retort from the lower chamber, a 10 conduit in association with the retort and extending between the door seating and the top fitting and opening into the bottom of the latter and affording communication between the lower chamber and the top fitting and ofitake of the 15 vertical retort whether the door is open or closed, and a removable plug for the upper end of the said conduit.

4. Apparatus for the distillation of coal and similar carbonaceous substances, comprising a 20 vertical retort, a hollow top fitting for said vertical retort provided with a gas and vapour offtake, said retort top fitting communicating with the vertical retort at the upper end thereof and being adapted for charging the retort with solid 25 material, a lower distillation and cooling chamber below said vertical retort, a door and a seating therefor at the lower end of the said vertical retort, said door separating the vertical retort from the lower chamber, a conduit in association with 30 the retort and extending between the door seating and the top fitting and opening into the bottom of the latter and affording communication between the lower chamber and the top fitting and offtake of the vertical retort whether the door is open or closed, and a plug for the upper end of the said conduit, said plug being of extended form to project into the oiftake and having a free passage for leading the gases and vapours from the conduit to the offtake and pre- 40 venting the entry of solid material into the conduit when the upper retort is being charged.

CHARLES HENRY PARKER. JOSEPH PEARSON POSTLETHWAITE. 45 

